Wildfire
by LS Fiction
Summary: The child with the notorious Tailed Beast locked within had torn away part of his seal to save a frail, scarred, redheaded runaway. He is forced to morph into an envoy of the mountainous Kyuubi, able to achieve powers well beyond any other demon. Neither him nor his first true friend would anticipate their relationship unfolding into something much more. [Overpowered Naruto]
1. Crimson Eyes

**Wildfire**

 **Chapter 1: Crimson Eyes**

"Speech."

 _"Emphasis."_

* * *

He was outmatched.

Naruto Uzumaki was once again knocked down to the ground by the man in front of him, the traitor who was using him to steal the Scroll of Seals.

"Stand still, I don't want to have to cut through you, it'll tear the scroll." Mizuki sadistically smirked as he twirled the large shuriken in his hand, stalking toward the boy as if he was cornering his prey.

Naruto's sliced up body managed to turn and sprint with the scroll strapped to his back, hastily retreating through the woods behind him as his pursuer followed. Running out of breath, the academy failure bent down and hid behind the largest tree he saw, eyes pinned in the direction he came from only to see the outline of the madman surge closer. Naruto whispered the one technique he had managed to read off the scroll before he was attacked, performing the needed hand symbol as clones of himself appeared beside him, scattering to other hiding places. The noise and movements made by them were only meant to distract Mizuki for as long as possible.

The delirious smile on the chunin oozed cruelty and insanity. He spoke his mind freely as he knew he was all alone with the helpless runt of the class. "Do you know why the villagers hate you? Why _Konoha_ hates you? The Nine-Tails that had killed so many villagers and shinobi all those years ago had to be trapped away somewhere by The Fourth, and he decided that you were worthless enough to be chosen."

He could hear the rapid breathing of the real Naruto, Mizuki then tightening his hold on his signature weapon as he focused on the sounds around him, the forest being too dark to see well in. "But I hate this village too, Naruto-kun, and I plan on leaving with that scroll to become strong enough to take this place down. Why don't you come with me? We can get rid of everyone who has ever hurt you for no good reason. Give me the scroll and I promise I won't even touch you." He leered in the direction from which the breathing grew even heavier, suddenly having to turn to throw a flurry of kunai at a moving figure on the other side, the weapons dropping to the ground as their target vanished into a puff of smoke.

"A clone? You really have improved, I'm impressed! Now, Naruto-kun, hand me the scroll and we can leave here." His glare grew deadly as he launched himself at the boy's hiding spot, turning in the air to slice the clones that desperately charged at him. Landing in front of the roots Naruto was cornered between, he leaned forward, the arm carrying his sharpened weapon flexed back in preparation to finish the boy off. His free hand came out as he smiled at the quivering child. "Hand me it, Naruto-kun." He stared down at the small, shaking outline of the village sacrifice as the boy held his face in his hands, tears streaming down his whiskered cheeks.

The smile died after seconds of idleness. Mizuki threw his throwing arm forward, wanting to end this pitiful existence in front of him and to leave the village with his prize. The spinning hunk of metal was sent flying, cutting through the short wisps of air as it collided with its target, spraying blood onto the surrounding wildlife.

* * *

She was terrified.

For the first time in her life, she had admitted to being fearful of something. The snake, the man who held her and others captive to test his inhumane experiments had turned his attention to her days ago, selecting her to be his next guinea pig. All those picked before her had turned into mindless puppets with body parts ripped out and replaced, markings scarring their abused bodies. She had been captured and sold to Orochimaru by slave traders years ago, forced to live in cages, given nothing but drags to cover herself and stale chunks of food unfit for human consumption.

Once she saw his pale finger point at her through the steel bars, it made her realize that her time would soon run out. She had no family, no friends, no goal in life but to survive. And because of that, she ran.

The day came for one of the overseers to drag her away, and with the sudden rush of adrenaline through her system and the animalistic craving to live on, she had overpowered him enough to give herself time to run out of the labyrinth of a lair.

It's been countless days of dragging her body through unfamiliar forests, musty creeks, and pitch-black woodlands, the thought of his henchmen possibly being right behind her driving her legs to push onward despite the sores and blisters. At the very least, she had no belongings to expend precious energy carrying, except for a wooden flute she obtained ages ago.

She stopped upon hearing sounds of combat within the woods she had entered a day or two earlier, crouching down and hiding within shrubbery to witness a blonde boy close to her age running away from a ninja who beckoned him to give up the scroll tied to his back. She silently watched on as he was driven further and further back, his orange jacket getting torn apart as he weaved his small frame to dodge the weapons sent towards him. She heard the taunting words coming out of the older man's mouth as he provoked the child, words telling of the demon fox sealed inside of the blonde. She had heard tales of the outside world from the other captives held with her, stories of the hidden villages, shinobi forces, and horrifying demons.

But as the boy tucked himself between tree grooves, all she could see was someone running to save his own life, the same thing she was doing. He was no vile creature.

The white-haired man cornered his target, and before she could do anything to react, her eyes widened as she stared at the giant shuriken that dug itself within the child's stomach. Quietly, tears ran down her dirt-covered cheeks as she saw herself in him, another neglected child, torn apart by those with power.

A small involuntary hitch escaped her throat, the man turning to face the bush she was in. He leered in her direction in an attempt to discern what she was. In the end, he didn't particularly care, his hand reaching for the weapon embedded in the boy's abdomen in order to use it on her.

He tugged at it a few times, angered by how it was lodged so well. He turned back to look down at Naruto grasping onto the shuriken, coughing up copious amounts of blood, his teary face staring at the pit in his stomach and the torn marks he had since birth.

"You're still alive?!" Mizuki hastily planted his foot on the boy's chest as he tried to force the weapon out of him, resorting to kicking the undead child as bruises and cuts formed, whatever air Naruto had left escaping him. The boy's head finally drooped down as the black metal was harshly yanked out.

Tayuya watched on as she pictured the snake's form over the man's. Both were eerily similar, being skinny, merciless, and absolutely sadistic. Her vision fogged over from terror and fatigue as the murderer approached her, the backdrop of foliage outlining his appearance, features blurred out to darkness. As he closed in, her voice came out as a faint final cry.

 _"You're the monster..._

 _not him."_

He sneered as he rushed at her, blade drawn, eyes gleaming as they focused on her exposed neck.

* * *

It knew the Uzumaki child heard those words from the newcomer.

And it knew its power would finally be used after thirteen long years.

From behind its cage, it could see specks of the dreaded seal burning away, enough for some of its demonic chakra to be leaked out. Naruto Uzumaki stood in front of the seal, looking up at the mountainous figure of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, fragile and shaky words coming out of his mouth. He simply asked if it was the Nine Tails, nothing more, receiving a nod in return.

"I-I'm... going to borrow your power for a bit." It came out almost like a faint breath, his speech much like those who had tried to negotiate with the demon centuries ago. But unlike the others, its captive spoke as such not because of fear of the fox.

He merely feared not making it in time to save the girl who didn't view him as a monster.

The embodiment of destruction gave him a questioning look, and without the need for words, the boy knew what the being inside of him was wondering. The child's face became firm for but a moment, establishing the fact that he knew what he was doing, and what will happen because of it. That was more than enough for the kitsune.

The boy suddenly writhed in pain as the fiery tendrils of chakra at his feet abruptly merged into him, infesting his reserves as they became flooded with the corrosive power of a beast. It was if magma was injected into and began to flow through his very veins.

The cry of agony he then roared out brought him back into vivid consciousness.

* * *

Tayuya had closed her eyes just as the man was about to make contact, gripping onto the outline of the wooden instrument in her pocket.

But she did not feel any pain, only raw heat as a choking sound came from right in front of her. As she slowly allowed herself to see once more, her vision widened as she saw the shuriken-wielding man viciously hacking up blood.

She leaned down to follow his dying eyes to see a fist coated in flames impaled straight through his chest. Seconds later, which had felt like an eternity to the stunned girl, the dead body finally slumped to the ground. Her eyes came back up to stare at the red slits and pronounced features of the boy whose body was now lighting up the forest in an orange glow, everything the newly-formed wildfire touched becoming ash.

He inched forward, causing her to step back from the inhuman spectacle before her. Before she could run again, an immense wall of fire formed itself around them, manifested by the boy's subconscious.

He did not lose himself just yet, his features becoming desperate as he reached out to her. "You said I'm not a monster, right? So, can you..."

His hand clasped on her own, the aura receding from areas of skin contact to avoid harming her.

"...not leave me?"

She may have explained her response to herself as common sense. After all, there was no way for her to just reject him and leave unscathed, right?

Deep down, however, she knew the real reason was that she could still see the innocence inside of him, and with them being so eerily similar to one another, she made the conscious decision to nod.

An out of place boyish grin formed on his lips, having made his first friend near his age. With astronomically increased senses, he could hear the oncoming squadrons of Konoha shinobi, with him deciding to take the girl away from them and the expanding forest fire. He unstrapped the scroll from his back and left it on the dewy floor, knowing that the ones soon to arrive would retrieve it before it would be consumed by the fire.

His eyes could see so clearly through the murky treetops now, as if he was born to prowl long after sunset. He swept her up having noticed her limping legs from her backing away earlier, leaping instinctively through the branches, taking the long way back home.

* * *

The yellow and white lights sprinkled throughout the village streets and complexes likely didn't mean much to the one holding her in his arms, as she guessed he sees them everyday anyways.

But to her, they represented freedom and choice, a brighter world awaiting her now as opposed to the foul compartments she was once kept in against her will.

The wind blew her long hair back, the strands moving away enough to let her take a good look at the younger boy, the cerulean blue eyes lit up by the moonlight earlier having vanished in place of a much more enchanting and passionate red, a vibrant crimson that rivaled the hue of her own locks. The outlines of his blonde hair and pale skin glowed and flickered like a breathing flame, attesting to what he had done earlier. Just as she became lost in her gaze, they landed in front of a door on the second story of an apartment building.

He walked up, taking out a key to unlock the wooden entrance, pushing it in to show her the small room of his. It was messy considering the standards most people had, with crumpled blankets, piles of wrinkled clothing, and empty containers of the cheapest chips available. The dim light he switched on that barely lit up the room took a while to stabilize, clueing in as to how little the boy could afford. Iruka had offered to fix his lighting for him before, but Naruto had always changed the topic of conversation immediately, not wanting to owe anything to his kind teacher.

He walked inside and gestured for her to enter, sheepishly closing his eyes and grinning as he presented the unorganized concoction of a living space. "You can stay here if you want. Take my bed, too." When he reopened his eyes, they were back to being ocean blue, his appearance returning to normal.

She looked around at the dusty chairs, torn pillows, and even the broken analog clock. They were to be disgusted by most guests, but to her, they brought a strange feeling of comfort.

And with him here, a wave of security washed over the banks of her aching tan limbs. Although unknown and foreign to her, whatever emotions she had while being with him were strangely welcomed. Reaching the white sheets atop the bed, she collapsed from exhaustion.

A small panic rose in Naruto's chest as he hastily tended to her care, summoning clones as the original tried to look for any visible injuries on her body. One was sent to fetch a glass of water, another to any stores still open for bandages, and the last to Ichiraku's stand for some seemingly much-needed nutrition.

She somehow ignored the throbbing pains as she turned to glance up at the boy, smiling at his care and attention without even knowing it. Thinking back to the scene in the woods, she tried her best to remember his name.

 _"Naruto..."_

It came and left so quickly as she finally let herself drift off, the only other person in the room mentally ordering his shadow clones to return faster.

* * *

The group of robed, masked ninja circled around the burnt corpse, one of them crouching down and identifying it as Mizuki. A few reports had been made concerning suspicions surrounding the man, but none thought he would be a deserter to this extent.

The line of Konoha's most capable forces separated to make way for a short elder in a white robe, the movement of his hat indicating that he was staring down in disappointment at the traitor to the Hidden Leaf. He took up the Scroll of Seals from the ground and focused on the unnatural hole bored through the deceased's chest. A whiff of the battleground was enough for everyone there to relive the dreaded day over a decade ago, an intoxicating stench of charred wood lingering throughout the area. The Third needed to only look at the masks of his Anbu for them to know the command he was ordering.

No word was to be let out, lest there be a riot against the boy with the fox inside of him.

"Put out this fire before it gets out of hand. Make a report that states an unknown shinobi's training had led to this incident, and nothing more."

The others nodded before going to work, using various techniques and combinations to slowly push back the incredibly intense bursts of flames, as if they were cleaning up the remnants of the Kyuubi's vengeful rampage once again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked on, the releases from his pipe blending in with the colossal pillars of smoke reaching the gray clouds above. Minato Namikaze's son inherited not only his father's potential, but also something much more important.

Sarutobi knew the path Naruto had decided on will still lead him back to the same dream he always had, destined to hold the title as Konoha's leader and protector. The Will of Fire continues to burn brightly within the young child's soul.

Or in this case, wildfire.

* * *

 **Jutsu Introductions**

 **Kage Bunshin no Jutsu/Shadow Clone Technique [B-rank]:** The user creates clones of themselves that can interact with objects and perform techniques known to their creator. Normally, these clones and their user have evenly divided chakra, while there exists specialists who are able to change the distribution given practice. In consideration of the taxing nature of this technique, especially in regard to mass clone creation, it is forbidden for the common ninja to use the Tajuu/Multiple variant, in which hundreds or thousands are formed.

 **Kyuubi no Seiryoku/Nine-Tails's Might [S-rank]:** Unique to Naruto Uzumaki, his torn seal and acceptance of the demon fox inside him has allowed the being's influence to leak out when asked for. Along with defined canine features and a body coated in flames, anything Naruto wishes for is done without need for explicit command. His power, speed, and stamina are greatly enhanced during this state, a protective layer wrapped around his form. The Nine-Tails is able to speak to him during times of combat as well, whether to act as a guide or as an annoyance. However, as a consequence, the host is more often driven by instinct and desire even while this technique is inactive.


	2. Burnt Mask

**Wildfire**

 **Chapter 2: Burnt Mask**

"Speech."

 _"Emphasis."_

* * *

The two were running late to his academy reunion, yet Naruto still took his sweet time in consideration of his companion's recovery period. He walked along as he stared down at the girl's feet as she did the same, her not wanting to trip on her own overused, thin legs.

Three days had flown by since the birth of the village's most recent topic of conversation and light gossip, whispers circling around as to who could have caused such a disaster just outside of the surrounding walls. The scene, when peeked at by the eyes of nosy citizens and curious shinobi alike, appeared as if it was the aftermath of a quarrel between two enraged fire specialists. The remains of scattered embers and loose weaponry reminded a certain raven-haired prodigy of a catastrophe from childhood.

The Hokage had visited the blonde child in his apartment the evening after Tayuya had been brought in, assuring him that he had already seen what had happened using his crystal ball. The retired instructor of the Sannin had sent his forces to their location as soon as he understood the situation, having activated the Telescope Technique to track down the stolen scroll once notified of it. The runaway child remained sound asleep throughout his visit, exhaustion having caught up to her.

The Third allowed Naruto to let her stay in his room with him, the two strangely suiting each other quite well, eliciting a sincere smile from the fox child. Admittedly, Hiruzen wanted to know an accurate measure of the kid's newfound abilities, and having the reason for his awakening right beside him would only aid in that endeavor. The final remark he made before vanishing back to his office was that Naruto would be allowed to graduate with the others on the condition that he cares for and protects the redheaded girl who would be joining him as a fellow genin of Konoha.

It had taken Tayuya until this morning to awaken to bandaged limbs, the alluring smell of fresh ramen broth, and the smile of the blonde boy leaning dangerously close to her over the shaky bed. His bashful smile was something she'd soon look forward to seeing each day, while her acceptance of that fact would take much longer to mature.

After slurping down the contents of the disposable bowl at an astonishing rate, she indulged in her first warm shower and changed into her new set of plain clothes in the bathroom, taking much longer than expected in there to learn how to properly utilize the store-bought toothbrush laid out for her. She came out to see the bed sheets that had been stained by the rancid mud from her dirty clothing were now replaced, not knowing how much of the boy's savings were spent on her without complaint. He told her of the meeting they'd need to head towards as soon as possible, and while she'd usually respond with doubt, reluctance, and immense sass to her old roommates, she couldn't muster up any motivation to do so to him.

The shinobi academy shortly came into full view, Tayuya looking up at the insignia of the Leaf and around at the ones rushing towards the entrance, all of them seemingly being Naruto's age. They eventually made it through the newly trampled waxed halls, her following his guide to an open classroom door.

He took an exaggerated breath before entering, walking up the wide steps inside and towards the back, the location meant for the more reserved kids of the class. They sat down in two empty seats beside one another, having gone mostly unnoticed by the others, save for a ponytailed boy with observant, slanted eyes.

The room was chock-full of rowdy kids and even bantering, an onslaught of girls recklessly throwing themselves at the class pretty boy, clawing for the seats near him. Next to the window, a boy wild in appearance with facial clan markings was tapping at the glass, flexing a toothed smile at an excited pup outside. The back hosted three more unique class members, the first being a chubby one inhaling his way through barbecue-flavored potato chips, simultaneously chowing down while opening up his next bag of delicious victims. The second was an introverted girl squirming in her seat while Naruto inquisitively stared at her, sporting short purple-tinted hair and whitish lavender eyes. The last boy in the very corner had a gray collar high enough to conceal his mouth while wearing pitch black sunglasses despite being indoors.

After the instinctive scan of the inhabitants, Naruto suddenly snapped around to face his roommate.

"I forgot to tell you earlier, but those clothes were the only ones on sale at the store I go to. They're not the best, sorry." He wanted to at least say something since she'd find out about the clothing's quality at some point anyway, her hasty response back starting with a playful smirk.

"Well, they are pretty comfortable. I can't complain." A grin was plastered on top of his canine features, the moment quickly broken by the entry of a chunin sensei.

* * *

"Naruto Uzumaki, huh... He still looks the same to me. He does seem happier around the girl, though." The gray-haired Cyclops glanced down at the Hokage's crystal ball, centered around the holder of the Nine-Tails.

"The presence he has now has greatly improved, whether influenced by the fox or not. In general, having enough confidence is a great start to one's success." The Third looked up from the illuminating vision being portrayed and at the entourage of loyal jounin, them doing the same to respectfully face him having heard the shuffling of his movements. "Do not tell any of your students nor juniors from your lines of work of what has happened to the boy. This is and will remain confidential until further notice."

His wrinkled eyes darted toward Fire Country's Copycat Ninja. "During your test tomorrow morning, Kakashi, analyze and put aside the other students first before taking on Naruto alone. The rest of us will once again meet here to watch as you do so. However, do not underestimate him nor lower your guard at any time. Do you understand?"

A stern nod came from the well-known student of the legendary Yondaime, Hatake having garnered enough battle experience to have picked up on thousands of deadly techniques. Disregarding of Sarutobi's remarks, however, no jounin there truthfully believed a newbie could come close to matching a regular elite, let alone someone who had been a notoriously strict Anbu captain at one point.

They all reshifted their focus down as the class teacher commenced listing off the groups of genin.

* * *

"Team Seven will be Sasuke Uchiha," Iruka began, hearing the wooden desks being physically tortured by the trimmed nails of anxious fangirls, "Sakura Haru-"

"YES!" Before her name was even fully read, she skyrocketed from her seat, provokingly pointing at a slender blonde girl across the row from her. "I told you I'd be with Sasuke!" A vicious groan reverberated from the defeated Yamanaka, the teacher's ominous glare forcing Sakura to sit from embarrassment at having interrupted him.

"As I was saying, your next member will be Naruto Uzumaki," his name being called helped perk him up from mindlessly staring off into space. He had been unsurprisingly bored more often lately, his chakra boiling as it yearns to be used for combat. "Your final member will be..."

He wasn't sure if it was a misprint, but left without any other option, he managed to croak out the words on his paper.

"...the new girl next to Naruto Uzumaki." The dumbfounded class stared at the aforementioned individual, Naruto raising his hand before calling out anyways.

"Oh, she's my new friend, Iruka-sensei. Her name's-"

He never asked for it.

Gulping from realization, he gently nudged her with his elbow, a forced laugh coming from him. "She can introduce herself just fine, right?" Her deadpan look tore itself from the flushed boy and toward the instructor.

"Tayuya."

Iruka awkwardly nodded, clearing his voice and repeating to the class her name to reannounce the squad's final member. A bit of mumbling as to why there was a group of four established including an unknown graduate spread throughout the packed seats, but it slowly died off as their teacher finished listing the other two shinobi combinations.

Team Eight was composed of a Hyuuga, an Inuzuka, and an Aburame. The dojutsu belonging to the prominent family would be able to scout for and identify enemies miles away, helpless targets to be swarmed by the ravenous armies commanded by an Aburame. The two would be best at planning and moving at a distance, Hinata's melee capabilities being a safety measure against those who would blindly rush at them. Of course, that would be extremely unlikely, as slipping past the frontline of an Inuzuka and his hound would require one to be both impossibly silent and scentless. And with the enhanced partnership jutsu of an inseparable pair, even the strongest fortresses would crumble at their feet to be sieged and investigated.

Team Ten continued the famous layout of its members' clans, consisting of a Yamanaka, a Nara, and an Akimichi. A Nara's techniques could both hide in and emerge from the large shadows cast by an expanded Akimichi as the latter bulldozes down those caught in dark, tightened strands. The restricted movements would also allow Ino to delve into the minds of any shinobi, uncovering priceless secrets they may have knowledge of. Choji could additionally serve the role of an unyielding distraction as Shikamaru and Ino infiltrate opposing headquarters. And while members of the Nara clan are often complete slackers in daily life, when it comes down to executing missions for the sake of Konohagakure, they are able to put together any and all tidbits of information to formulate an optimal course of action.

"That's all for your last class with me. After lunch, you'll be meeting with your new jounin sensei. For the final time, class is dismissed." Applauds and cheers roared out from the crowd, including from the students who didn't particularly favor their assigned group members.

Iruka sank down into his creaky desk, reminiscing on fond memories of him lashing out at rambunctious kids during his lessons, glancing at his graduating pupils. He took notice of the new girl, an odd exception to the school system, joining them on the very last day of the academic year. In the end, he sincerely smiled at his favorite amongst them all, the fiery Uzumaki who had managed to charm his way through to gain his very first friend.

* * *

Tayuya headed toward the yellow yard benches, finding a place to sit as she waited for Naruto to order two portions of food from the cafeteria.

A minute or so passed as the pink-haired girl from earlier spotted her, deciding to sit next to Tayuya as she unraveled her own boxed lunch. "You're Tayuya, right? I'm Sakura Haruno, your teammate."

"Yeah," Tayuya said in return, having never been around such a peppy person before.

"Since you're new here, you probably don't know how lucky we are to have Sasuke-kun with us! He's the strongest and handsomest guy here. I guess it really is fate for him and I to be together..." A pink blush arose on Sakura's cheeks, a similar coloration as that of the flower she was named after. "Too bad you sat next to Naruto, though. You pretended to be his friend to shut him up, didn't you? I feel _so_ bad for you already. He's the worst one here, completely useless, dumb, short, and so average looking. He wouldn't last a second against Sasuke." Her rant continued, not paying attention to Tayuya's growing scowl. "We should become pretty good friends as long as you aren't like Ino. You're actually pretty cute yourself, I can't even see the makeup you're using! Anyways, let's just avoid Naruto for now and-"

"Shut the fuck up."

* * *

Team Seven stood waiting on the academy rooftop, with Tayuya sneering at a berated Sakura. Naruto had been dragged away by his roommate to eat their sandwiches elsewhere when he arrived at the scene, curious of the shocked features on his old crush. Their classmates were then picked up by the other jounin leaders after lunch was over, with the four youngsters being the only ones left. Iruka had strolled up to them then, sending the shinobi squadron to the roof to wait for their own sensei.

Sasuke remained observing from his gloomy spot near the building's edge, staring down at the streets and homes that cluttered Konoha. Although he said nothing, his irritated demeanor showed his frustration at having to wait for so long.

Just as they all felt the need to break the silence, a breeze carried an array of fluttering green leaves between them, thrown about and swirling around a figure appearing out of thin air.

The tall man with long, spiked silver hair wore a slanted headband that hid his left eye, adorned in the usual Hidden Leaf uniform of a green flak jacket, dark blue pants, and open toe sandals. He grinned through the black weavings of his mask as he greeted his new batch of students.

"Hey there. I'm Kakashi Hatake, your jounin sensei. Sorry about being a bit late, Sasuke, Sakura, Tayuya, and Naruto," his revealed eye looking at each in turn as he listed their names. "Life can throw one astray from their rightful path at times."

His philosophical statement was met with annoyed teenage groans. "Okay then. I'd normally make you guys introduce yourselves to one another, but you'll find out what hobbies, likes, dislikes, and dreams everyone has in no time. For tomorrow, be at the public training spot as soon as the sun rises, since I'll have to test you guys to see whether you should be sent back here to learn more or not. Also, don't eat anything beforehand, as you'll just barf it up anyways."

The notion of repeating another year resonated through the minds of three of the genin there, the one who had failed thrice vowing to pass this time around.

"Well," he took out an orange piece of erotic literature, turning to the bookmarked section, "good luck against me during your survival test." He went elsewhere the same way he came to them, his body blending with the howling winds as the sounds of chimes echoed, signaling his departure. The time he spent talking to them had been but a fraction of the time they had wasted waiting for him.

Sasuke scoffed at the man's bluffs before leaping toward the direction of the reconstructed Uchiha compounds. Sakura followed his decision as she rushed down the stairs to get home, avoiding any contact with her female teammate.

Naruto gave the only one left a questioning look, referring to Sakura's behavior, feigned cluelessness emerging on Tayuya's face.

* * *

Unsurprisingly, he was late yet again, this time walking instead of teleporting to them. The terrain they were on was that of a flat grassland surrounded by thick woods and gushing rivers, the usual battleground of shinobi within the Land of Fire. Naruto was the first to speak to the whole group that morning out of concern.

"Kakashi-sensei, I think you should let Tayuya sit this one out. She's still healing from some bruises..." His remark ticked his stubborn friend off, but before she could loudly retort, their teacher had seemingly ignored the both of them.

"For this test," he held out two small bells with strings attached to them within his palms, "Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura will be working as a team to take these bells away from me before the sun reaches the middle of the sky. The two who obtain the bells will be able to pass, meaning the other will be forced back to the academy. But just because not all of you will make it doesn't mean that you should work individually, since there is no way you'll take them from me without some help."

Facing an elite on an empty stomach seemed a daunting task even for the Uchiha, but to defeat the one who has plagued his mind for years, he'll have to do whatever it takes and sacrifice anyone to become stronger.

"So is Tayuya sitting this one out then?" The response Naruto got in return only served to infuriate him.

"I didn't say her name because I realized last night that someone as mysterious and as injured as her shouldn't even have a spot on my team."

Naruto aggressively snapped back, "Does that mean that Tayuya won't pass, no matter what?!" The son of his amazing sensei slowly looked at him with hatred, but as Hatake remembered his instructions from Hiruzen, he gave the only answer he reasonably could. He knew The Third and the other jounin instructors were watching him.

"She has yet to even learn the academy basics, so don't you think attending would aid her? I'll let her pass, however, if you take both of my bells. That is, if you're desperate enough to keep a weak member like her on your team." Naruto leered up at him, instinctively clenching his fists at his words, having been riled up on purpose.

Kakashi placed the metal bells into his left pocket. "The test begins in three, two, one..."

Sakura and Sasuke dispersed from the area to strategize, Tayuya reluctantly dashing away from the line of direct combat as Naruto remained firm in front of Kakashi.

The Copycat used Shunshin to leave Naruto behind, teleporting himself to the others' hiding place within the forest canopy, relying on offense rather than his usual defense. He held back considerably, knocking them out of the treetops using only a taijutsu array of kicks too fast to be seen by the naked eye.

He gunned for Sasuke first, forcing chakra to his feet to launch from the branch he perched on and at the boy lying on the ground, using his momentum to slam his palm onto the younger one's chest. A gasp was heard from Sakura nearby, with her soon relieved to see a log in place of the Uchiha survivor, dust clouding the air from the impact alone.

The textbook Body Replacement Technique was followed up by two thrown kunai, both caught by one of Kakashi's hands. He sent them flying back to their source, pinning Sasuke to the tree bark behind him by his clothing.

The Cyclops turned his attention to Sakura, swiftly engaging her in hand-to-hand combat, analyzing the execution of her academy training under pressure. He wore her out to subdue her, never taking the chance to go for a possibly fatal direct shot, her dropping from sheer fatigue. Although her strikes were not perfect, he didn't expect any trainee to be thinking straight in a situation that risked demotion.

Sasuke, after gaining his freedom from the weapons, cupped his hands in front of his mouth, bellowing out his most powerful technique. "Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"

The ball of fire started out marble-sized, rapidly expanding to be as wide as Kakashi is tall, eviscerating everything in its path as it jutted toward its target.

Kakashi flashed through a series of hand seals, his palm connecting with the sandy ground below as he shouted, "Doton: Doryuuheki!"

The dog-style wall rose from the ruptured earth to intercept the fireball, taking the full brunt of the attack, no visible lasting damage seen on it.

Sasuke, panting from the recent chakra loss, slowly realized that this wasn't a test. If it was, their sensei would at least give them a fighting chance until noon.

It was a humiliating act of elimination.

Kakashi's knee dug itself into the boy's gut as he had his consciousness knocked out of him. The jounin witnessed Naruto finally moving from his spot across the grassland, racing toward him, a kunai in hand.

As expected of the village's prankster, he was easily caught and disarmed, Kakashi holding the blonde's arms behind him. "Don't you think that was too obvious? Don't let emotion drive what you do."

His hand came down to chop at the back of Naruto's neck to put him to sleep for a few hours. Instead, it reeled up to his face as a human reaction to sudden pain, hovering over his scorching left cheek.

He leaped back from the boy, his hand heating from the steam of burnt flesh as he tugged at the rim of the seared hole in the fabric of his mask. The clone he had been talking to earlier disintegrated into a pile of silver powder with a malicious smirk, his sharingan activating as it recognized the chakra signature present.

Sounds of footsteps came from every angle possible, the noises hastening as his red eye hurriedly dilated in an attempt to locate the demon fox. By this point, his vision was glazed over, a scarlet shade covering his bloodshot eyes.

It was as if a smoke bomb had suddenly detonated, the ringing accompanied by a thick gray cloud spanning the entire field, curtesy of the jutsu whispered into the Uzumaki's thoughts by his tenant. Naruto had diluted his signature throughout the whole cloud, not allowing even his voice to be tracked down as it came from the forests, rivers, earth, and sky.

"Tajuu Kayaku Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Streams of powder grinding together were heard to signify the birth of the gunpowder clones. Kakashi had to bring his arms up to his face to block the relentless barrage of hundreds of claws and slashes coming at him from all around, tearing apart his skin and clothes. He fought back enough to hear the disappearance of most of the clones he lashed out at, the bodies collapsing back into piles of gunpowder, him coughing from the particles in the air.

"You know so many tricks, but are a master of _absolutely none_ ," taunted Naruto, the roughness and depth of his voice a result of merging with the Kyuubi. A pair of blazing red eyes shined through the lightless and grim smoke, Kakashi trying to swipe away at it as the crippling image of the impaled Minato and Kushina came back to haunt him.

He was fighting on the fox's terms, furious at himself for underestimating him earlier, now being toyed with as he slowly bled out. Tightening his left hand around his right arm, he chose to go with his own original technique, ensuring that he'd at least stun Naruto for long enough to end the powder effect. Clenching his teeth, he used the jutsu meant solely for the purpose of ending life to save another, igniting the millions of grains floating through the toxic air as lightning crackled between his fingertips.

"One Thousand Birds..."

* * *

 **Jutsu Introductions**

 **Tomegane no Jutsu/Telescope Technique [A-rank]:** The user sees a vision of a familiar person or object within range portrayed through a crystal ball. This technique allows information to be gathered while one remains completely out of harm's way, possessing few drawbacks.

 **Shunshin no Jutsu/Body Flicker Technique [D-rank]:** Moving at extreme speed by stimulating one's body with chakra allows for nearly untraceable, teleportation-like movement.

 **Kawarimi no Jutsu/Body Replacement Technique [E-rank]:** The user replaces their body with a nearby object, usually when an enemy attack is about to hit to pretend it had landed.

 **Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu/Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique [C-rank]:** A signature of the Uchiha clan, the user expels flames from their mouth either in the form of a fireball or flamethrower, the strength and heat depending on the amount of concentrated fire chakra.

 **Doton: Doryuuheki no Jutsu/Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall [B-rank]:** The user spits out mud infused with chakra to form a defensive wall to block attacks, the strength of the barrier correlating with the capabilities of the user. Kakashi Hatake utilizes a different version, as he slams his palm down to the ground to erect the wall adorned with sculptures of dog heads.

 **Kayaku Bunshin no Jutsu/Gunpowder Clone Technique [B-rank]:** Unique to Naruto Uzumaki, this variant of the Shadow Clone Technique allows him to form his clones from gunpowder, them turning into piles of these materials when destroyed. The Tajuu/Multiple version summons hundreds or thousands at once.

 **Senpuku no Jutsu/Concealment Technique [C-rank]:** The user masks their presence, dispersing the sounds they make as well as their chakra signature throughout their environment.

 **Kayaku Kemuri no Jutsu/Gunpowder Smoke Technique [B-rank]:** Unique to Naruto Uzumaki, this technique first unleashes a loud sound before saturating the area in dense gunpowder, inhibiting sight.

 **Chidori no Jutsu/One Thousand Birds Technique [A-rank]:** Developed by Kakashi Hatake, the user concentrates lightning chakra into their hand, dense enough to produce a sound similar to that of chirping birds. The user then tunnels to their target to plunge the technique into them, usually ending the target's life.


End file.
